Will Beetroot Juice Improve Your Running?

Beetroot is the bulbous, reddish-purple part of a beet plant. The other part of the plant is the beet top (or beet greens), which are also highly nutritious. Beetroot juice is obtained by putting beets through a juicer and extracting its liquid.

This liquid is high in nutrients including folate, potassium, and vitamin C. It also has a high nitrate content, which is being credited for boosting runner's performances. Scientists aren't certain, but they think having more nitric oxide (a byproduct created by metabolizing nitrate) in your body helps athletes exercise with less oxygen.

Beetroot's impact on athletic ability was tested in two small studies performed at Exeter University. In these studies, athletes drank a half liter of beetroot juice several hours before taking part in cycling. Tests performed on the athletes determined they were able to exercise using less oxygen than normal and for twenty percent longer than control subjects who drank a placebo of black current juice.

The scientists concluded that the beetroot juice allowed them to reduce the amount of energy their muscles required, which increased their stamina.

Casual runners shouldn't expect that drinking beetroot juice will turn them into marathoners, but scientists think it can improve performance for serious runners. It might also help athletes bump past stubborn performance plateaus.

Beetroot juice provides benefits for athletes and non-athletes alike. Studies show that drinking beetroot juice lowers blood pressure and keeps it low for up to 24 hours.

It may also help fight inflammation, which is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.

What's the downside of drinking beetroot juice? It takes a lot of juice to receive all the athletic and health benefits that have been attributed to beet juice and it has a strong, distinct flavor that not everyone loves.

You can mix it with other juices to improve its flavor, but watch out that you're not adding too many extra calories to your diet by drinking all that juice.

Can you get the same benefits by eating beets? Beets are high in antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins and are a healthy ingredient for any diet, but it appears it's the juice (consumed in high quantities) that's responsible for increased athletic performance.

---

Sources:

A toast to health and performance! Beetroot juice lowers blood pressure and the O₂ cost of exercise
Journal of Applied Physiology, December 2010
Leonardo F. Ferreira and Bradley Jon Behnke

The Benefits and Risks of Barefoot Running

It's safe to say that resorting to the primitive practices of our prehistoric ancestors is typically viewed as a bad thing. We evolved, discovered, and invented our way into a life in which we are no longer dependent on the hunt to bring us food, nor do we fear being stalked by predators. Suffice it to say, we've progressed in a way that's made life much easier.

Why, then, is the barefoot running movement gaining popularity? Is it simply a fad popularized by a few outspoken naturalists? Or is there science that backs a more natural approach to running?

Championed by Christopher McDougall's national bestseller Born to Run, the barefoot, or minimalist, running movement has been gaining some traction due to recent studies. In a paper published in 2010 in the journal Nature, Daniel E. Lieberman, professor of human evolutionary biology at Harvard University, notes the difference in form between running barefoot and running in conventional sneakers. Leiberman found that minimalist runners tend to avoid landing on their heel, or "heel striking," and instead land on the ball or the middle of the foot. By doing this, Leiberman says barefoot runners "have almost no impact collision."

This "impact collision" can generate real problems for those who strike heavily on their heels. In a study published in the 2009 issue of PM&R, the researchers found that modern running shoes wielded more stress on knee, hip, and ankle joints compared to those who ran barefoot. The study found that the reasoning for these increases have much to do by the high arches and elevated heels associated with your conventional running shoe.

Simply put, running barefoot, or in minimalist shoes, forces you to find a more natural form. By landing on the balls of your feet, our natural shock absorbers are able to displace any stress caused by your foot striking the pavement. Conversely, landing heavily on your heel results in increased stress on your joints. This can be translated in knee, ankle, hip, or even lower back pain.

Before you dive head first into your Paleolithic past, be sure you understand the risks. While there is evidence that barefoot running will strengthen your legs and feet, there have also been findings correlated with an increased risk of calf strain, Achilles tendinitis, plantar pain, and blisters.

When in doubt, consult a podiatrist before making the change and communicate any concerns you may have.

Sources:

Daniel E. Lieberman, Madhusudhan Venkadesan, Adam I. Daoud, William A. Werbel

Biomechanics of Foot Strikes & Applications to Running Barefoot or in Minimal Footwear

http://www.barefootrunning.fas.harvard.edu/

ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 16, 2011, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2010/01/100127134241.htm

ScienceDaily. Retrieved May 16, 2011, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2010/01/100104122310.htm

View the original article here

Treadmill vs. Outdoor Running: Pros and Cons

Track, trail or treadmill? You don't have to choose—both have a place in the race to fitness. To help decide which might be better for you, we've broken down the pros and cons of running on a treadmill versus running outdoors.

Running on a Treadmill:

Pros:

No excuses. Neither rain, nor sleet, nor darkness can stop you. The treadmill is always there (barring a power outage), waiting for you to hop on and exercise.  It's friendly on the joints. The padded treads are easier on achy knees and stiff joints than concrete or asphalt surfaces.It's harder to slack off. It's easy to slow down and smell the roses when you're running outside. Once you set the pace on the treadmill, however, slowing down means intentionally re-setting the machine.  You might burn more calories. No hills in your neighborhood? Bump up the incline to challenge your muscles.   You can add intervals. Use the treadmill's preprogrammed functions to turn your run into an interval-training program. Alternating between a quicker and slower pace has been shown to speed results.

Cons:

You can quit whenever you want. When you run outdoors, you can't quit exercising until you get back to your car or house. With the treadmill, you can just hit "stop."It's repetitive. Sure, you can watch TV or read a book while pounding out the miles, but after a while, you might get tired of the scenery.There's no weather challenge. You might think that's a plus, but wind and weather add resistance to your run and make you work harder. It can alter your running form. When the treadmill is set too fast or at too high an incline, you may alter your running form or grab the handrails to keep up. This can put too much stress on the legs, low back and groin ligaments. If you use a treadmill at a gym, ask a fitness pro to evaluate your pace and form.

Running Outdoors:

Pros:

The scenery varies. When one running route becomes too familiar, you can easily change directions or locations for an entirely new workout.You use different muscles. Every time the terrain changes, like when you step off a curb or climb a hill, your brain and body make accommodationsthat boost the strength, balance, and neuromuscular impact of your workout.You push yourself a little bit harder. The treadmill belt does some of the work for you because it pulls you along step for step.  When running outdoors, you have to propel your own body forward, which takes more muscle power.You might burn more calories. Treadmill counters often overestimate how many calories you burn. Given the same time, pace, intensity and distance, outdoor running tends to burn more calories.It's free. No gym membership needed, or shelling out serious cash for a home machine. You can just put on your sneakers and head out the door.

Cons:

The outdoor temperature is out of your control. Inclement weather may boost your workout, but it's more likely to make you shrug off your run.It's tough on the joints. Running on hard surfaces, such as the sidewalk or street, can be jarring to your bones. Choose track, dirt or trail surfaces instead.It's easy to get hurt. A spill on the sidewalk could leave you skinned up like a six-year-old. It's tempting to slack off. If distractions slow you down (hello, ice cream, man!),  you might not work out hard enough to see results.. 

View the original article here

Warm Up to Running with Asthma

You may love to run outdoors, but no matter how far or fast you go you can't outrun your asthma.  But despite its presence, it doesn't have to slow you down or turn you into a coach potato. Instead, ask your doctor about how to effectively manage asthma before you slip on your running shoes and head for the track.

The Connection Between Running and Asthma

A study published in the Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology in 2007 discovered that people who used their inhaler before they began their workout experienced fewer asthma symptoms. The benefits remained for several hours, making this approach a viable option for many people with chronic asthma, as well as those who suffer from exercise-induced asthma, which is asthma that occurs specifically when a person engages in strenuous activity.

Running with Asthma

When running or jogging, breathing in through your mouth instead of your nose can pose a risk for experiencing asthma symptoms. This is because the nose warms and filters the air first before it's transported to the lungs.

In the winter, breathing in cold air directly is enough to irritate your sensitive airways and trigger a reaction, while in the summer, heat and humidity can pose a similar challenge. In addition, on days with high pollen and mold counts, you may be breathing in large amounts of these allergens, which can also worsen your asthma symptoms. As a result, even runners who don't have a formal asthma diagnosis may find themselves grappling with exercise-induced bronchospasms.

Exercise Induced Asthma Symptoms

The signs of exercise-induced asthma include:

Chest tightness and painCoughingShortness of breathWheezing

These symptoms may occur during exercise or may present themselves20 minutes or more after you've finished running.

Managing Exercise-Induced Asthma

Take some of the following preventative steps to manage your condition before you head out the door:

Check the pollen count and temperature to be sure conditions are conducive to a good, safe workout.Use your fast-acting inhaler about ten minutes before your workout. Be sure to warm up and cool down before you exert yourself.Drink plenty of water to stay well hydrated.Wear a scarf over your mouth and nose if you must run in cool air.When it's humid out, run in the early morning before things heat up or plan a walk instead.Listen to your body and notice any wheezing or difficulty breathing.Carry your fast-acting relief inhaler with you in case you experience a flare up during your run.Skip the workout when you're feeling ill.

Sources:

"American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Work Group Report: Exercise-Induced Asthma." Journal of Clinical Allergies and Immunology, Volume 119, Issue 6 (April 2007): 1349-135813. Web. 6 April 2011.

"Exercise and Cold Weather: Tips to stay safe outdoors." Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER), Oct. 30, 2010. Web. 30 March 2011.

"Exercise Induced Asthma." Kids Health from Nemours. KidsHealth.org, Oct. 2010. March 2011.

"Exercise Induced Asthma: Not a Walk in the Park." Allergy and Asthma Network/Mothers of Asthmatics. AANMA.org, 4 Feb. 2009. Web. 6 April 2011.

View the original article here